


deck the halls

by consumptive_sphinx



Category: Hamilton - Miranda
Genre: Christmas, Christmas Parties, Gen, Spite Fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-25
Updated: 2016-12-25
Packaged: 2018-09-11 22:50:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 614
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9038303
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/consumptive_sphinx/pseuds/consumptive_sphinx
Summary: Alex doesn't like Christmas. He doesn't like Christmas trees, or Christmas parties, or Christmas sweaters, or Christmas spirit. The Schuylers' Christmas party is today, and he's expected to go. ...oops?





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [CatalpaWaltz](https://archiveofourown.org/users/CatalpaWaltz/gifts).



Alex looks slightly upward at Angelica, just barely pleading. "I have work," he tries, and hopes that it'll be enough.

It isn't. "No you don't," Washington says, dismissive. "I don't give work over holidays." That definitely wasn't true back in September, but Alex refrains from saying so. "And even if I did, you need to take a break anyway."

There goes that route. "I still won't be able to go," Alex says. "I'm, um -" what wouldn't they be able to argue against? "- sick." They might not believe it, but they won't challenge that.

Except James does, the _traitor._ "I'm going," he says, and the reproach in his tone bites.

One last try. Out in the open, no excuses, just, "I don't want to."

Angelica looks pissed. Peggy looks heartbroken. Eliza looks like he's the most disappointing thing she's ever seen.

Alex has never been able to say no to them. He doesn't manage now.

 

 

When December 25th rolls around three days later, Alex _could_ just stay home. Nobody is dragging him kicking and screaming to the Schuylers'.

Except the look on Peggy's face when he said he didn't want to go.

Alex is an asshole, but he's not that much of an asshole.

He goes.

 

 

Red shoes and his favorite sweater should have been festive enough. It _is_ festive enough, especially considering that if Alex is so un-festive that if he had his way Christmas as practiced in America wouldn't exist at all.

Hercules seems to disagree. When he sees Alex (not under the doorway, thank God, because Alex is fine with making out with his friends under a lot of circumstances but mistletoe is most assuredly not one of them) he presses a folded pile of red and green wool into his hands.

Alex unfolds it to show a knit sweater, of the type you typically see in "tacky Christmas sweater" photosets on tumblr. He glances around and notices belatedly that he's the only person not wearing one. "Thank you," he says, and manages to sound like he means it.

"Why don't you put it on?" Angelica asks, and Alex closes his eyes for a moment and reminds himself that she doesn't actually know why, because he's intentionally not telling anyone.

Even knowing that, Alex thinks he would rather eat glass. "I -" he tries to come up with a good reason, fails, and just says, "No, thanks."

He'd also rather eat glass than see that look on Hercules's face, but it's still there. Alex still put it there.

Maybe he _is_ that much of an asshole.

"Dude, what the hell," John says. Alex just shakes his head. He's still not telling.

"It's fine," Hercules says, even though it's clear that it isn't fine. "He doesn't have to."

Which. It’s better than if Hercules was pissed. But still, he looks hurt. Alex holds the bundle of cloth and tries to be smaller than he is. 

He just wishes they would have let him say no in the first place. 

 

 

By the time he gets home Alex is worn out from unexpected diplomacy and the effort of not-quite-truths, and really he just wants to collapse in his bed and forget about Christmas parties and Christmas and Christianity in general.

First, though, he checks his email, and - 

\- there’s something from Ned. Just like there is every year. Alex had almost forgotten. 

_Hey, Lex,_ the email says. Alex automatically reads it in Ned’s voice. _I miss you lots. Sing the Chanukah blessings extra loud for me, okay? I’m lighting two menorahs for you. Kisses, Ned._

Alex reads it three times, realizes he’s smiling like an idiot, and doesn’t stop. 

So something good did happen today, after all.

**Author's Note:**

> can fanfic writers stop acting like it's a mortal sin to not like christmas, please?
> 
> happy chanukah!


End file.
